Safety gas-valve



M. J HORKAVE.

SAFETY GAS VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7.,19I9.

1 30,075. Patented Feb. 10, 1920.

I N V EN TOR. -///lC/6 a! fig/.7114 1/6,

iz/s ATTORNEY.

MICHAEL J. IIQRKAVE,

OFGARY,,INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO STEPHEN BLANERQOF GARY,INDIANA.

SAFETY GAS-VALVE.

Specification of teeters Patent. Pat ted Feb. 10, 1920.

Application filed. June 7, 1919. Serial No. 302,581.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, MICHAEL J Hon- KAVE, a citizen of the United States,and a resident of Gary, Lake county, and State of Indiana, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Safety Gas-Valves, of which thefollowing is declared to be a fulhclear, and exact description.

This invention relates to safety gas valves and its principal object isto provide means whereby the gas Valve stem cannot be manipulated whenthe knob or handle of the valve is in normal position. Valves of gasstovesv are controlled by knobs or handles, and occasionally a gas valveis accidentally opened without the gas being ignited, thus endangeringthe lives of those present. Small children are attracted by the valvesand frequently play with the knobs or handles, and occasionally turn onthe gas, with the result that unless discovered in time, asphyxiationofthe child and others present may occur. WVith the present inventionthe danger of turning the gas on or off. without first setting the knob;or handle in operative position, is eliminated. The invention consistsin a'knob or handle for gas valves, having an inoperative position, heldin such position by spring pressure, but capable of being moved tooperative position. The/invention further consists in the severalnovel'features hereinafter fully described and claimed. i

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing, inwhich: I

Figure 1 is a cross section through a gas pipe of a kitchen gas stoveshowing the gas valve inside elevation, and showing in central, verticalsection, a simple embodiment of the present invention applied thereto;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of a fragment of the gas valve, with thedevice shown in central, vertical section, but in operative position;

Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal section of the knob, taken on-the line 33.of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4: is a view, partly in end elevation and partly in vertical crosssection, the line of section being indicated at .44: in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a detail cross section of the knob taken on the line 55 ofFig. 1; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a certain clutch member or star wheelused in the device. 7

means between the knob and stem clutching it to the valve stem, The knobstar wheel. .is a smaller cylindrical recess 12 in Which Referring tosaid drawings, the reference character A designates a gas pipe of akitchen gas stove, B designates one of the gas valves thereof thatcontrol the flow of gas from said pipe to a burner (not shown) of thestove, and C designates the valve stem of the valve. As is well known, a

knob or handle (not shown) usually is secured upon the valve stem,whereby it may be rotated to turn the supply of gas on or off.

handle. The safety device, lettered D, comprises in generaha knob orhandle7, longitudinally and rotatively movable with respect to the valvestem C, and clutching for 7, has a cylindrical recess 8, at its innerend,

the face of which is formed with one or more lugs 9, two being shown,whichare adapted for engagement with a clutch member or are disconnectedfrom each other, whereby the knob may be rotated without rotating thevalve stem. Said lugs 9 are shown as of V-shape formation, adapted toenter the spaces between the arms or points 11 of the Co-axially withsaid recess 8,

is confined a coiled compression spring 13 which bears against the starwheel 10, and

against the bottom or shoulder 14 at the end of the recess 12, and actsto yieldingly hold the knob in inoperative position with the lugs 9 outof contactwith the star wheel. The recess 12. has a reduced portion 15extending to the outer-end of the knob, in which fits a tubular valvestem extension 16 that is internally screw threaded as at 18, andfastened upon the valve stem C. The inner end of the tubular valve stemextension 16 bears against the star wheel 10, and looks it on the valvestem C, and its outer end is formed with a head 17 which forms a stoplimiting the outward movement of the knob. The star wheel is threadedupon the valve stem and locked in place thereon and rotates therewithand the valve stem extension 16 is locked upon the valve stem againstrelative rotation. The knob is freely rotatable and longitudinallymovable upon the valve stem extension and normally held in contact with.the'head 17 v thelugs 9 into register with the spaces betive.

tween-the arms 11 ot' the star wheellO,

and thereupon moved toward the valve to bring the lugs into the spacesbetween the arms '11, in which position the valve stem 6 1113%" beturned by turning the knob or handle. Upon releasing the' knobthesprii'ig returns it to inoperative position, withthe lugs 9 disconnectedfrom the star wheel, in

which position it may be turned freely without .afl'ecting the valvestem.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that the valve-cannot bemanipulated while the-knob is held in inoperative pos1- 'tion. and thatthe danger, present with the fixed knobxor handle, is reduced to aininimum, and that the knob may be: instantly clutchedto the valve stemand made opera More orless variation of theexactdetai-ls of constructionis possible" without departingwfi'om the spirit of this invention; 1desire, therefore, not to limit'myselfxto the exact forni-o'f theconstruction :shown 1 and described, but intend,in the following claimsto'point out all ot'the invention disclosed herein. v

I claim as new, and desire to; secure: by Tietters Patent:

1. A'safety gas valve, comprising a'ggas valvestem, having a threadedend portion,

a star wheel fixedly secured on said threaded 7 end portion of the valvestem, an internally; threaded tubular valve stem extension secured onsaid threaded endportion' of the valve stem; a knob having an operativeand an inoperative position, rotatively' and longitudinally movable onsaid valve stein with: said star wheel;

extension, andformed with a lug adapted,

when in operative position, to operatively engage said star wheel,- andl a coiled" compressionjspring for yieldingly holding said knob invinoperative position with saidnlug" out of engagement with sa1d starwheel.

2-. A-safety gas valve, comprisinga gas.

valve stern,having a threadedend portion,

a star wheel fixedly seeured 'o n said threaded end portion'of the valveste1n, an internally threaded tubularvalve stem GXtQ-IlSlOliSB- cured onsaid threaded endportion of'the valve stem,- a knobhavingan operativeand an ino iierative position, rotatively and longitud nally movable onsaid valve st-en'ifextension and formed with a cylindrical recess -atone end in which the star wheelis contained in both-positionsof theknob,'and; a coaxially rednced-aieoess beyond the same, the face of thefirst mentioned-recesshaving a 'lngi'adapted, when-in operativeposition, to operatively engage-said star wheel", and a coiledcompression spring in said reduced recess bearingagainstisaid starwheel" and bottomof the; recess,- for yieldnigly holding said knob ininoperativeposition with said lug; out of engagement with saidstarwheel.

A= safety= gas valve-, -comprising.: a gas valve stemya star wheelfixedly secured thereon, tubular valve stem extension fixedly secured:on said stem, a: knob rotatably mounted and lengthwise movable (onsaid: stem extension from an inoperative po sition to an'0pG1'21t1Ve"pOS1t1OIl-' and having a: recess, the face of which isformed iwith a lug: capable of being operatively" engaged w=itlr1saidstar wheel, when in operative poreeess formed ina'said knob,bearingagainst sa d star:wheel and bottom of therecess 111 which it isconfined;sa1d-spring operating to yieldi-nglyhbld said knob ininoperative sition,1saidstar Wheel beingcontained in said recess :inboth positions of-the knob; and a coiled compression springconfined ina" position with: the lug: out 1 of .e11gag'e1nei'1t 7 MIoHAELJ;iioiiinwi

